Double-acting kneader improvement



* Dec. 4, 1945.

E. A. F. PRESSER DOUBLE ACTING KNEADER IMPROVEMENTS Filed Jam .21, 1944 v Patented Dec. 4, 1945 DOUBLE-ACTING 2.390.460 I KNEADER IMPROVEMENT Eric F. Presser, East Chicago, Ind. Application January 21, 1944, Serial No. 519,101

4 Claims.

My invention relates to double acting kneader improvements and it moreespecially includes the features pointed out in the annexed claims.

The purpose of my invention is to provide improvements on the double acting kneader described in my Patent No. 2,350,299 issued May 30, 1944. 1 These improvements compris cooperating means for the. handling of extra heavy sticky and gummy materials and materials that contain abrasive substances; that makes special provision for protecting the bearing of the main shaft at its lower end so as to guard against the intrusion of abrasive materials, by means of a stufling box at that point; that provides deflectmg rotatable baifles which terminate adjacent the exit endof the descending segment to divert material into the path of elevating segments; that provides a plurality of stationary baflies located above the main kneading element and that provides. a ring to enclose such baiiies which ring i of substantially the same diameter as the joining or dividing wall between the descending and ascending segments, which wall in its upper portion is not broken but is continuous throughout its circumference; and that provides a hermetically sealed opening in the side wall of the container in which the kneader operates so as to facilitate the easy removal of the kneaded material and While the kneader is in operation prevents the inclusion of air beneath the ascending segments.

With these and other ends in view I illustrate in the accompanying drawing such instances of adaptation as will disclose the broad underlying features of the invention without limiting myself to the specific details shown thereon or described herein. l r

Fig. 1 is an elevation assembled kneader.

Fig. 2 is a top planview of the kneading element.

Fig. 3 is a top plan of the stationary bafiies and enclosing ring.

Fig. 4 is an elevation in section of the lower portion of the kneader.

.Fig. 5 is a plan of the hinged relation of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6is an elevation of a sealing door.

.In practicing my invention I may use whatever modifications of structure that the exigencies. of varying conditions may demand without partly in section of an departing from the broad spirit of my invention.

(A. suitable container or vessel I of sheet material is used. It has a closed bottom 2 beneath which are supporting legs 3'. Across the open upper end a bar 24 is placed: At its ends it has depending projections which engage the wall I of the container where it is held by bolts or otherwise. The bar has an underneath boss to provides widthof bearing for the main driving shaft 5. A collar 25 is placed on the main driv- The cross bar 24 at its ends has upstanding projections 21 which serve as bearings for a horizontal shaft 28. Collars are provided on the outside of each bearing and a small diameter bevel gear 29 is secured to the shaft 28 so as. to mesh with the'large bevel gear 26 on the upper end of the shaft 5. The horizontal shaft 28 may have a hand crank 30 for small units. For larger units any desired form of conventional variable speed electric motor drive is used so that the speed of rotation of the kneader may be varied according to the variable consistency of the material that is being treated.

The kneading element comprises an annular ring M which forms a vertical dividing wall between the descending and the ascending segments. The element is secured to the shaft 5 bya key-way 9 for rotation. It is held in place against displacement lengthwise of the shaft by a suitable washer, and nut 23. The shaft has a shoulder 43 which abuts the hub 8 of the kneader.

In the present instance only two groups of segments are shown positioned diametrically opposite each other. The hub 8 has a downwardly proiecting tubular extension l5 which forms a support for the inner ends of a pair of radially deflecting baflies I6. a

To guard against the intrusion of abrasive material into the lower bearing a removable member 4 is assembled beneath the bottom 2. 'It is threaded into an annular flange 32 that is secured to the bottom of the container. .In the member 4 a stuffing box 33 is formed with the usual gland. Beneath the stuffing box a bearing 41 is placed. It supports the lower end of the shaft 5. It is threaded into the stufling box member 4'. The lower end of the shaft is conical at I so as to be easily threaded through the stufling box in assembling the parts.

The flange 32 associated with the stuffing box member 4' is secured to the bottom wall 21 of the container l by means of bolts 44 seated in recesses 3| which facilitate the easy removal of the contents of the container away from the bafiles l6 and beneath the segments I2--l3 after the kneading operation has been completed.

Above thekneading element a stationary bar 35 is secured to the side wall of the container at 46. It may have a central tube 35 surrounding the drive shaft 5, to which a pair of stationary baflies 31 are secured. These baflies are also secured to the cross bar 35. To their outer edges there is secured, by hinge 48, the two halves of a ring 38 which extends downward to within a small clearanc above the continuous circular dividing ring M of thekneading element. (Fi 1.)

An opening 39 is formed in the side of the container. A gasket 40 surrounds the opening and a door :41 :engages; the gasket; Thisidoor is hinged at-.4.s.-in any conventionallmanner and it is held closed by fastenings 42 or otherwise. (Figs. 1 and 6) I have shown an opening 39 in the side wall of the container. closedby ahereh... H a

tionfasbestos compositions, or any form of plas- 1ties; 1painting n laterial, printing inks, etc.

metically sealed door El. Ifrequir'etl'I' may'form a duplicate opening and door inthei walhoijthei container diametrically oppositeand in addition U may provide a similar sealed open'ing inthebottom of the container to facilitate the-easyrre moval of the kneaded material and for easy cleaning purposes without removing the'knead ing unit from the container.

-The operation is substantially similar to that of the kneader described in my Patent No; 2350, 299 excepting that "in addition it is especially designed to accommodate and I continuously knead theheaviest kind of material. ----l?o assist in this the sectional tube or r-ing 38 attached to and surrounding the-stationary baffle is provided; This com'pels the'mater'ial that is being raised by'theouter segments-12 to rise to the top of the stationary ring- 38 where it moveslaterally to-the inside of the ringand downward to the descending orinne'rsegments Ill-4i to -be diverted radially by thebaffies l6 into the path' of the ascending segments I2'-i3--thus.continuing the cycle of operation as long-as required. a

The oppositely positioneddescending inner segmentsl'B- l l are a part of-the hub 8 andthecontinuous-circular wall I 4 1 -They terminate-adjacent the-widened top flange ll of the bafiies 86. These baffles-have a lower stiffeningflange l8; 'I heyare securedzto -the-wal1 M by bent ears 20' and: to the central tubular projection l 5 by fastening 2|. 1

The inside IQ of the wall It and the "inside of the ring 38'confine the material as it isdrawn downward over -the baffles .IG-and beneath the segments HIH tobe delivered "beneath 4 the widened flange l1. From'hereit isdeflec-ted tangentially-(Fig, 2) by the-baffles I6 into-the path of the segments I2I3*to-again be raised tothe upper edge of i the ring 33 and laterally towardithe center onto the stationary baffles 31'' to repeat the cycle( The bafiles '3-Tcounteract any rotative movement of themass that-may be-impartedby the rotatingsegmentsl2l'3.

.The threaded portion 34'- of -:-the stufilng bex member (is-slightly smaller-in diameter than the. unthreaded part so as tel-secure axial alignment independently of the threads. Any kind of;a gasket: 22 may be used; between the part and the depending projection of the flange 32'. The bearing 41- hascalso-an aligning diameter which is larger than. the threaded. portion (Fig.4).. r

The kneader shown inFig. l-is semi-portable. For-very large installations-the bottom and the side walls are enlarged and all the parts are proportioned to meet the extra stresses.

The open space .underneaththe wide flange l1 of'the, .baffies l6. and one of the ascendingsegments l2?! 3. ends .at the outer. ends .of .the baffles 1.5,- in vertical alignment. with the dividing wall i l :between the inner. and outer segments; This Qpenspace beneath the ascending segment and.

in front of bafile l6 facilitates the easy removal of the kneaded material through the side opening 39 of the container. (Figs. 1 and 2.)

The action of the kneading element is to force the materiahagainst thefloottom 'ofgthe container under pressure toadriveeutiiany included air and thus produce a homogeneous mass of material iifregardless of its composition, whether it may .be breaddougningredients for linoleum produc- What I claim is:

1 ;A knea'dingunit comprising a container, an

operating, shaft rotatable therein, a kneading member which has a plurality of radially opposed pairs of segmentsthe segmentsof each-pair*"being oppositely incl-ined ahd in radial relation to the shaft, a continuous dividing wall between the segments. stationary -ba'files disposed radially to saidshaft, stationary ring' sections inw ertical alignment with the. -cont-inuous dividing wail o; the kneading unit said div-idingfwall being" cone centric with the shaft, means for pivotall'y supporting the ring sections on such stationary ear: fies, and means for actuating the shaft weave or rotate the-kneading member.

2. -A kneading unit comprising-"a containen'an operating shaft therein a kneading -member on said shaft which hasapluralityof-pairs ofsegments-the segments ofeaoh pair beingoppositely inclinedand radiallyfdisposed' in relation touthe shaft, a continuous dividing wall 'betwe'en'the 7 segments and concentric with the shaft, stationary 'bafiles radially dis-posed in relation' 'to-tlie shaft. stationary ring sections supported by the baffles in alignment with the continuous-dividing wall of the kneading unit, means 'for'supporting the Y stationary ring sections and battle -plates-- by the container wall, and means for actuating the shaft to rotate the kneadingmember beneath the stationarybafile plates and the attachedfringsections; I a 3. -A kneading unit comprising a ContainerQa rotatable shaf t therein, a kneading member-provided with diametrically opposed pairs of Segments the segments of each pair being op'positely inclined and in radial' relatlon to the shaft; a

continuous dividing wallconcentric "with-"the container and the shaft for-joining the oppositely inclined segments, stationary tame plates above the concentric dividing wall, ring sections 'secured to the name plates at their extreme outr edges said ring sections being concentricwiththe shaft, a central hub for the plates, andim'e'ans for actuating the shaft to'rotate' the-kneader; h

4. A unitary kneading unit comprising ac tainer, an actuating shaft therein,- a kneading member secured to said shaft and having a plu ring secured .tosaid plates saidiri'ng being c'on-= centric withithe shaft andithecontinuous "divid ing wall between the segments-i and lpositio'ned above the latter, .l means for. holding Y the-: -baflle plates stationarywhile the kneading member m tates therebeneath, and means 3 for. actuating' tlieshaftto-rotatethe kneader. 1 J

1 .ERIICI A. :.F-; al rtness-m; 

